Portable real-time computerised support for detection of heart disease and fluid overload

Niti Dhutia is an Engineering PhD Student at Imperial College.

Due to a growing demand for echocardiography, the waiting times on average are very long.
Specialists performing echocardiography examinations require extensive training and
experience to acquire adequate images. Less experienced operators have difficulty
obtaining these ‘on-axis’ images, take long periods of time and require supervision from
experienced specialists. This project envisions greatly reducing delays to cardiac
imaging diagnosis.

The aim is to develop tools that will provide real-time feedback, guiding the operator
on how to manoeuvre the ultrasound probe to obtain an adequate view, and automatically
make velocity measurements from optimal sites in the image. This would provide the
opportunity for less experienced operators to do their first few scans and obtain
appropriate images, with minimal guidance required from senior experienced operators.

Apical 4 chamber images showing positions at the mitral valve inflow,
septal annulus and lateral annulus selected by individual specialists (Δ, each
colour represents a different specialist) and those selected by the automated system (o)

‘Such a system would be a useful tool for quality control
purposes in a clinical or research environment and could also be implemented as part
of an operator training scheme.’